Volontaires

The junction at the of rue de Volontaires and rue de Vaugirard, the Volontaires Station offers transport to those traveling along Line 12 on the Paris Metro in Paris, France. Named after the rue de Volontaires, which translates to “Volunteers Street” in English, the Station has been in service for over 100 years.

Its namesake, rue de Volontaires, derived from a group of local residents. In 1822, these residents volunteered to transform the then cul-de-sac into an alley that opened onto the rue de Vaugirard. The street was initially named Ruelle Volontaire until the “s” was added in tribute to the soldiers of Year II of the French Revolution.

Nearly a century later, the Volontaires Station opened on November 5, 1910.  It was a part of the first commission for Line A of the North-South Paris Underground Electric Railway Company.  Line A was later converted into Line 12 when the North-South was bought by CMP, a competitor railway company.

For most of the 20th century, the Station’s interior included pedestals covered in metal bodywork with red horizontal uprights and golden-framed spaces for advertising. In 2015, the State’s public transportation organization, The RATP Group, issued a “Renewal of the Metro” program. Volontaires received new wall tiles, signage, and seats in the Motte style.

By 2019, the Station’s restoration was complete and it once again resembled its original decoration from its days as a North-South line. Today Volontaires is a bustling stop that serves over 2.5 million passengers annually.